Your Reviews

""Imaginative, well-written, but, at times, implausible, with an unsatisfactory ending." 3.5 out of 5…"

28-Feb-2015

Book Review: 'THE MINIATURIST', by Jessie Burton. Sat 28/02/2015

The debut novel from author Jessie Burton arrived with a lot of hype. Apparently eleven or so big name publishers battled it out for the rights to its publication. And being named the 2014 Specsavers Book Of The Year, the Waterstones Book Of The Year, and Sunday Times bestseller, the hype continues to grow.

But is it justified? I opened the book with real anticipation, but immediately sought to quell any unfair expectation I may have held. It became immediately apparent, however, that the author is a talented writer. The prose is rich and exacting, the writing incredibly imaginative. The themes presented are brought to life with meticulously detailed descriptive language. It's interesting that the entire narrative is written in the present tense. This, coupled with thorough research, helps transport the reader's consciousness to the book's setting, 1686 Amsterdam.

The story follows eighteen-year-old Nella Oortman, arriving from the country to begin a new life as the wife of illustrious merchant trader Johannes Brandt. But her husband is away on business, and even when he returns, he is very distant. But what Johannes does do is to present Nella with an extraordinary wedding gift: a cabinet-sized replica of their home. Enlisting the services of an elusive miniaturist to furnish the house, Nella discovers that the tiny creations mirror their real-life counterparts. How did the miniaturist know so much about them? Soon, the secrets of the Brandt household unveil themselves, but as Nella uncovers the hidden truths, she realises the escalating dangers that awaits them all. "Does the miniaturist hold their fate in her hands? And will she be the key to their salvation or the architect of their downfall?"

[** Spoiler Alert **]

I expected an edge-of-your-seat supernatural / suspense thriller. However, what we are given is a period soap opera, with all the typical ingredients one expects from an episode of Downton Abbey or Wolf Hall. (Or even modern day soaps like Eastenders, only without the outdated costumes.) Illegitimate pregnancy? Check! Homosexual relations? Check! Sexism? Racism? That's here, too.

The main problem is the numerous implausible aspects introduced. Throughout the story, Johannes avoids physical contact with Nella. They barely spend ten minutes in a room together. Yet the novel ends with Nella reminiscing of all the thrilling conversations that she and Johannes supposed to have enjoyed. Another example is Nella's reactions to the various Brandt family revelations. One minute she is so shocked and repulsed, the next she's drastically sympathetic, without any adequate reason why she would change her mind. On Page 214, Jack Phillips, Johannes Brandt's gay lover, suddenly gives Marin Brandt a long kiss in the middle of a violent scene. Why? And Marin doesn't fight him off! Why not? It is neither questioned by the other characters, nor mentioned again. Cheap theatrics?

Additionally, why did Jack Phillips testify against Johannes Brandt, knowing full well it would lead to Brandt's execution? Yes, he was jilted, but Johannes went back to him (the very act which saw Johannes incarcerated proves this). The suggestion is that Jack was paid off by Frans Meerman. However, even through his financial woes, Johannes Brandt is wealthier and far more influential than Frans Meerman - and Jack would know this.

Furthermore, there are some continuity errors. E.g. 1) On Page 271, a little boy, Christoffel, arrives with news of Johannes' arrest, poking his head around the front door. However, the very same door had been slammed shut a page before. 2) Upon completing the book, it become apparent the puzzling prologue at the beginning of the book depicts the future funeral of Marin Brandt. Unlike the rest of the book, which is from the viewpoint of Nella Oortman, the prologue is seen from the eyes of Petronella Windelbreke, the miniaturist herself --> The "exhausted girl" is Nella Oortman, the "maid" is Cornelia, the man in the "broad-brimmed hat" Frans Meerman, etc. Once the church is empty, the woman in question approaches the newly-laid granite slab, and produces "the miniature house with 9 rooms and 5 human figures". She then places the house on Marin's grave. However, the miniature house was in Nella Oortman's possession. Nella had discovered it when she entered and searched the miniaturist's shop, and it remained in Nella's coat pocket until the last page of the book, when she realises it's gone missing. The question is, how did the miniaturist come in possession of the miniature house again? Did she somehow steal it from Nella Oortman's coat pocket? (To say Nella dropped it at the miniaturist's shop just a few moments after placing it in her coat pocket, just for the miniaturist to find again, would be a tad convenient.)

The final drawback, and possibly the most significant, surrounds the miniaturist herself. It was in the hope of discovering all the answers to the mystery of the title character that kept me reading on until the end. But, ultimately, we do not get much of an explanation, no detailed account as to her motivations or background. And what little is revealed has no suspense or supernatural intrigue. Petronella Windelbreke is not a prophet, and she doesn't hold their fate in her hands. In fact, we find the miniaturist little more than an indiscernible supporting character.

Of course, this may be redeemed via a follow-up to this book, focusing predominantly on Petronella Windelbreke. Even Nella Oortman, on Page 388, finds herself wondering "why was the miniaturist taken away?" There is definitely a story there. Maybe the author could do something similar to what Stieg Larsson did with "The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo" trilogy. The first book of that series focused on a present day mystery, and had just brief flashbacks of the title character's mysterious past. However, the subsequent 2 books brought the title character's past life to the fore and she became the story.

"Magical read…"

24-Feb-2015

I really loved this book. Set in the late 17th century in Amsterdam, I was transformed back to that time, the words so wonderfully portrayed the period of the piece. The characters came alive off the page as I shared the magical things that seemed to be happening to the pieces that were delivered to decorate the small house that was a husband's gift to his new wife. Eery at times and reflecting the cruelty of the time, there are surprises in store at every level of this book just as there are in every level of the miniature house.

"Beautiful, atmospheric writing…"

23-Feb-2015

In 17th century Amsterdam, 17 year old Nella arrives from the countryside to take up her home with the older merchant to whom she has been married. From the start, there is an atmosphere of mystery: her new husband is not there to greet her, but her sister-in-law Marin is stern and severe. Two servants, lively, gossipy Cornelia and Otto, a freed African slave, are the only other members of the household. When her husband Johannes does return from business he is kind to Nella but shows no signs of wanting to consummate their marriage; instead he gives her a wedding gift, an intricate model house which is a perfect replica of their own house. Insulted to be given a child's plaything, Nella commissions items to furnish the doll's house from a miniaturist whose advertisement she has seen in a trade register. The miniaturist supplies the items she requests, but adds more; and as the novel progresses, more objects and characters for the doll's house arrive, unasked for, and seem to start foretelling the future. Both Johannes and Marin are keeping secrets which put them beyond the pale of the strict, religious and repressive Amsterdam society; as the novel gathers pace, one mistake follows another until all their lives have completely unravelled.

Jessie Burton's writing is haunting; everything is described in lyrical and unexpected ways. The sense of tragedy and doom is overwhelming by the end of the book, but it is offset by the beautiful prose. I raced through the book, and when I got to the end I wanted to go back to the beginning and read it again, which is always a sign of a good book. There is so much to enjoy; the exuberance of the writing, the historical background (Burton weaves in detail about the Dutch East India Company, about the trade in many different commodities, about the Guilds and about the church but none of it feels superfluous to the story), the pace and the twists in the story.

My only reservation concern the character of the Miniaturist. She is a shadowy person who we see from time to time and then she vanishes; Nella never actually meets her. It becomes clear that there are magical forces at work in the way the miniature creations appear and seem to influence events, but this is not really worked through. Indeed the idea that magic can exist at all appears to conflict with the down-to-earth, materialistic world of the Amsterdam merchants. Earlier in the novel, Nella wonders whether the Miniaturist's purpose is malign or positive; by the end, she concludes that the mysterious woman is somehow trying to give her self-understanding: "I thought she was stealing my life, but in truth she opened its compartments and let me look inside'. In fact, the book begins with the final scene which does suggest the Miniaturist's definite intentions; but you really have to go back and read that scene again, having read the rest of the book, in order to fully understand it, and I did have the feeling that the Miniaturist was more of a device than a character. I suppose by its nature magic is mysterious, hard to pin down; and yet I felt that I would have liked more explanation of this part of the story.

Overall, though, I thought this was hugely enjoyable and wonderfully atmospheric writing and I will definitely look out for more novels by Jessie Burton.

"A strange tale.…"

09-Feb-2015

This is a very long book about a girl from a poor Dutch family who has an arranged marriage to a much older man. She gets a dolls house to give her something to do as she has no role there and it resembles the lives of the characters. Her husband ignores her, his sister is hostile and the servants play large roles. She is lonely and controlled. It becomes clear later in the book with lots of twists. The book is too long.

"Fantastic Read…"

09-Feb-2015

Loved this book, so different from the books at the moment and our book group loved it too. It just gets under your skin, not really why, great style of writing. My review is rubbish but don't let it put you off reading it.

"Not sure what all the fuss is about…"

09-Feb-2015

This historical novel has a really interesting setting: the merchant class of late 17th century Amsterdam.Eighteen year old country girl Nella is happy to marry Johannes but soon finds life very difficult in her new household. Johannes’s spinster sister Marin seems to be very much in charge of the house and Nella struggles to assert herself. Also in the house is Cornelia, an orphan maid and Otto, an African servant who has been brought back by Johannes from one of his travels abroad.

Nella is confused and puzzled when Johann avoids all physical contact with her. She soon realises this is a house full of secrets. She is offended when her husband present her with a cabinet containing an exact replica of their house – she wants to be in charge of a real house not a play one. Soon strange things begin to happen when she orders some miniatures to go in the house. She never meets the mysterious “miniaturist” who creates beautiful and intricate objects – but they begin to arrive unsolicited and seem to predict the future.

The creation of social life in the late 1600s is well done. I also like the way in which Nella gains an understanding of the family dynamics and finally reaches an accommodation with a very difficult situation. Having said that, it was a bit of a soap opera in parts!

The weakest aspect was the mysterious miniaturist. I was waiting for a rational explanation but this never arrived.

"An entertaining read…"

09-Feb-2015

If you like Chevalier and Du Maurier, you'll enjoy this.I have to say I didn't feel that the premise of the miniaturist in this story made a great deal of sense - if it was intended to pull the other plot elements together then I'm not convinced it worked.Nevertheless, I found it an enjoyable read with its shades of "Rebecca."Recommended.

"Set in Amsterdam the reader is held captive to the end…"

26-Jan-2015

Written by a struggling actress, her book is now a bestseller. Set in the 1600's a young girl is married to a Dutchman who works for the Dutch East India company.You can almost smell the sugar & nutmeg. Ignored from the start, she unravels the reason why. You will be hooked until the end. Atmospheric & gripping.